title: General error analysis in the relationship between free thyroxine and thyrotropin and its clinical relevance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This treatise investigates error sources in measurements applicable to the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) system of analysis for homeostatic set point computation. The hypothalamus-pituitary transfer characteristic (HP curve) describes the relationship between plasma free thyroxine [FT4] and thyrotropin [TSH].
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We define the origin, types, causes, and effects of errors that are commonly encountered in TFT measurements and examine how we can interpret these to construct a reliable HP function for set point establishment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The error sources in the clinical measurement procedures are identified and analyzed in relation to the constructed HP model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main sources of measurement and interpretation uncertainties are (1) diurnal variations in [TSH], (2) TFT measurement variations influenced by timing of thyroid medications, (3) error sensitivity in ranges of [TSH] and [FT4] (laboratory assay dependent), (4) rounding/truncation of decimals in [FT4] which in turn amplify curve fitting errors in the [TSH] domain in the lower [FT4] range, (5) memory effects (rate-independent hysteresis effect).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When the main uncertainties in thyroid function tests (TFT) are identified and analyzed, we can find the most acceptable model space with which we can construct the best HP function and the related set point area.
authors.affiliation: Electronic Engineering, Oterlekerweg 4, 1841 GP Stompetoren, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Simon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Goede
authors.forename: Melvin Khee-Shing
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Leow
mesh_terms: D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000502:physiology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine